Lumber-stacker



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. T. SMITH. v LUMBER STAGKER. No. 348,591. Patented Sept. '7, 1886.

WITNESSES Qv "WW... .4

04,. Attorneys N. PETERS, Fhnluilthogmpher. Washinglcm D. C

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. T. SMITH.

LUMBER STAGKER.

No. 348,591. Patented Sept. '7, 1886.

WI T WES/SE19 I JV V'EJV'TOR 2, W M he attorneys (No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. T. SMITH. v

LUMBER STAGKER.

No. 348,591; r Paten ted Sept. 7. 1886.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

4 @EE@EEEEEEEEE@EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE @EEEEEEEEEEE Patented Sept. 7, 1886.

W. T. SMITH.

LUMBER STAOKER.

EEEEEEEEEEE (No Model.)

gill- WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLTAM T. SMITH, OF BOZEMAN, ALABAMA.

LUMBER-STACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,591 dated September7,1886.

Application filedMarch 15, 1886. Serial No. 195,351.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM '1. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bozeman, in the county of Antauga and State of Alabama, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Liiunber-Stackers, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inmachines for elevating and stacking lumber, and it is specially designedas an improvement on the machines for which I received Letters Patent,dated September 0, 1884, numbered 304,760, and January 6, 1885, andnumbered 310,232, respectively; and it has for its objects, first, toimprove the construction of the means for conveying the lumber from thetrimming-ma chine to the stacker; second, to provide means whereby themovable carriage can be instantly stopped, should it be desired,notwithstanding the pressure of the motive agent in the cylinder; third,to provide auxiliary means for lowering the traveling frame, instead of,as heretofore, depending upon the weight of the machine itself; and,fourth, to do aw.y with the grasping'fingers heretofore employed forseizing and dragging across the boards the strips which are interposedbetween each successive layer, and to substitute therefor the bars orrods shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andon which similar letters of reference indicate the same or correspondingfeatures, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved machine,showing a portion of the elevating-chains which extend to thetrimming-maehinc. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, with the upper frontbeam of the main frame of the stacker, or that beam nearest thetrimming-machine, broken away. Fig. 3 is a detached enlarged invertedplan view of the movable carriage, showing the hollow rods for conveyingthe strips attached thereto. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of saidbars, shown extending through the pockets which hold the strips, showingalso the connection with the movable carriage and the spring attachedthereto. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line :0 .rof Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detached View of the frame N0 model.)

through whiclrthe strips fall and also a detail view of theconfiguration of the slot. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the hand-wheelfor lowering the traveling frame. Fig. Sis a detached view of the brakewheel and lever. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the elevating frame and chainsfor conducting the boards from the trimmingmachine to the stacker. Fig.10 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 11 is a detail front view ofone of the pockets for holding the spacing strips. Fig. 12 is anenlarged detached view of one of the ways upon which the chains passover the movable carriage, and Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional viewthereof; Fig. 14, a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a portion ofthe supportingplatform and traveling carriage, showing one of thedepositing-leversin side elevation.

The main frame of my machine is the same as that set forth in LettersPatent No. 304,760, and within it slides vertically the traveling framehaving supporting-chains and counterbalancing-weights. The rear portionof this frame is provided with two or more oppositely-disposed verticalpockets, 1, which receive and hold the spacing-strips, which are placedbetween each successive layer of lumber. The extreme lower end of thesepockets, looking toward the front of the machine, is cut away, as moreclearly seen in Fig. 12, so as to admit of the entrance of thestrip-carrier, to be presently described.

To the beam A of the movable carriage is secured one end of apiston-rod, B, workingin a cylinder, 0, which is supplied with steamthrough the port I), as seen in Fig. 3, any suitable pipe connecting thecylinder with a steamgenerator, and all of which is fully described inLetters Patent No. 310,232, granted to me January 6,1885. At aconvenient point on the carriage, and in close proximity to the axes ofthe rollers over which the endless chains pass, are pivotally mounteddepositinglevers E, the upper members of which are slotted at E, andthrough which are passed bolts for the purpose of controlling theoscillating or tilting motion of the said levers. The upper arms ormembers, E, of the lovers are of 13c greater specific gravity than theiropposite ends, whereby the latter ends are normally held in suchposition with relation to the successive layers of boards 'as to clearthe upper surface of the same. The members E of the levers stand in aninclined position of such an angle as to cause the boards to slide downupon the same under the influence of gravity as they pass from thechains upon the levers. These levers therefore conduct the boards to andupon the strips upon which they are to be laid.

The letter F, as seen in Fig. 9, refers to one end of thetrimming-table, the same being provided with journal-boxes G, in whichismounted a shaft, H, provided with sprocket-wheels Lover which passsprocket-chains coming from the trimming-machine, and withsprocketwheels J, over which pass sprocket-chains extending to themovable carriage of the stacker. The beams k are loosely mounted uponthe shaft H by means of the plates L, securely fastened to them, thesaid plates having bushings M, which form bearings for the shaft. Theupper ends of the beams K are similarly mounted upon the shaft 0,situated upon one end of the traveling frame.

As seen in Fig. 10, the beams K are severed at P, being firmly heldtogether by the plate Q, secured toone of the beams and sliding within acut-out portion on the other beam,

and by a plate, It, secured to this second beam and sliding withinbrackets on the first beam. My reason for making this joint in the beamsis because as the traveling frame of the stack er rises the distancebetween the trimming-table and the said frame is increased, and bymaking an extensible joint like that just described I can regulate thelength of the beams the distance required, the chains being always kepttight by reason of the idler S.

Instead of having my endless chain to eX- tend up to and over thepulleys T,(seen in Fig. 2,) I find it more convenient to let the chainturn upon the shaft 0, and provide that shaft with further pulleys anduse other chains to convey the lumber from this shaft to the levers E,whence it is deposited upon the spac ing-strips of the pile beneath,being laid upon a truck run under the machine, as described in LettersPatent 304,7 60, already alluded to.

In the machines previously made I trusted to the weight of the travelingframe and the movable carriage to lower the same, when the de tent IV,(seen in Fig. 1,) which engages a pinion on one of the elevating-shaftswas released; but I find in practice that it is better to lower themachine gradually, and for this purpose have provided a shaft, Y, havinga handwheel, Y, and a miter-pinion, Z, which engages a miter-wheel onone of the elevatingshafts, as more clearly seen in Fig. 7 so that tolower the machine, I release the detent and then turn the hand-wheel,which, through its shaft, imparts motion to the pinion, and through itto the miter-wheel on the shaft X, which causes the frame to descend atsuch speed as the operator desires. This takes place because the pinionson the shaft X mesh with pinions on the shaft X, which latter havepinions X meshing with racks X (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) asmore fully set forth in Patent No. 304,760, of which see Fig. 3.

As heretofore constructed the bar A, at or near those points where thepartially-hollow rods or bars Bare joined, was constructed with fingerswhich would, when pressed against the strips in the pockets by themovement of the carriage in that direction, grasp a strip and draw itacross the pile of lumber. The difficulty I encountered in thisconstruction was that the fingers would sometimes lose their held beforethe strip would be drawn the whole way across, and it would sometimesoccur that they would fail to grasp the strip at all. In order to remedythis, I have done away with these fingers and have substituted in theirstead the bars B', (shown in Figs. 3 and 4-,) and I attach them by meansof bolts or in any other convenient manner to the crosspice A of thetraveling carriage. These bars extend from the carriage to and throughthe rear pockets 1, as also through the pockets nearest the carriage,slots 1 being formed for this purpose, as seen in Fig. 12. One portionof these bars is always through and between these pockets, and thestrips called the spacingstrips, and shown in Fig. 1, are placed withinthe pockets by hand and upon the bars B, which serve as a bottom for thepocket. Each bar is provided with a sliding block, E, supported by apin, F, which travels in slots formed in the sides of the bar. A spiralspring, G, serves to force the block E normally toward the carriage,while the rod shown within the spring serves to support the spring. Tothe carriage-beam A are secured springs G, the free ends of which standwithin the hollow of the bars B, while a'pin, D, acts to guide thespring more perfectly as it yields back and forth.

Now, let it be supposed that the carriage is moved in the direction ofthe arrow shown in Fig. 4 until the springs C reach the first poekets,1.\Vhen this takes place, thesprings are gradually compressed, and thespace between the springs and the blocks E lengthens sufficiently toallow the strips resting immediately upon the bars B to drop into thebars.

The carriage is then drawn back and the strip drawn from within thepockets by each bar B, and held between the springs O and the blocks E.\Vhcn the pins F reach the forward pockets 1, the springs G arecompressed, and the distance between the springs O and the blocks Elengthens, and hence the strips drop from within the bars B. Each bar Bis provided with two pivoted curved arms, B", the free ends of whichrest upon a stud, B". V hen the strips within the bars B are free at theend next to the blocks E, that end drops upon the pile of lumber beneathbefore the end neXtto the strip 0" drops, in order to insure the properdelivery of the strip upon the boards beneath the arms B, be tween whichthe adjacent portion of the strip passes until it falls down upon theboards beneath it. These arms, therefore, serve toprevent the stripsfrom being laid more or less obliquely across the pile. This I find towork without fail in practice, and is preferable to my old form ofconstruction for the reasons previously mentioned.

The beams, (indicated by the letter I, Fig. 2,) which constitute thecross-pieces of the traveling frame, are slotted, as seen in Fig. 6, sothat should the strips fall a little out of line after they leave theircarrying-rods they will be guided by the slots in the traveling frame soas to assume their proper position on the lumber. The number of pocketsand carrying-rods and the slots just mentioned may be varied to suitcircumstances and the size of the machine. "As seen in dotted lines inFig. 1, one of these beams is lower than the other, and they are foundto work better in practice when constructed in this manner.

As seen in Fig. 1, I provide the forward portion of the carriagetraveling frame with rubber or other elastic material H, so as toprevent any violent jar by reason of the contact of the movable carriagewith the frame of the machine.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and more especially in Fig. 8, I mount upon astandard, J, secured to the traveling frame, one end of a sheet-metalband, K, said band loosely encircling the pulley L, mounted upon theshaft M, its other end being attached to the shorter arm of a lever, N,secured to the standard 0. The shaft M, as well as the standards J andO, is mounted upon a beam, 3, which forms a part of thevertically-traveling frame. The pinion 4, carried by the shaft N, mesheswith a rack-bar, 6, carried by a beam. 7, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) of thecarriage A. Vhen the carriage moves back and forth, it causes the pulleyL to revolve. \Vhe'n, however, it is desired to stop the machine withoutshutting off the steam, the operator depresses the longer arm of thelever N, which brings the band K into such close frictional contact withthe pulley that the power of the steam is insufficient to draw thecarriage back. On releasing the pressure upon the lever, the pulleyrotates in the direction in which it was going previous to its stoppage.

As observed in Fig. l, I provide ways 1?, of which Fig. 13 is across-sectional view, the same being'mounted loosely upon thesha-ft O atone end, their other ends traveling upon the top edge of the movablecarriage. I find that in conveying heavy timbers the endless chain atthis point would sag to such an extent as to interfere with the workingof the machine, and I have therefore devised this plan, so that shouldthe timbers be heavier than usual the chains will slide in the grooveson the ways,

structed to receive and lay the spacingstrips, and the depositing-leversto deposit the boards on the strips.

2. In a lumber-stackcr, the combination, with the movable carriageprovided with partially hollow rods or bars and depositinglevers, ofchains or belts mounted to feed the lumber to the depositing'levers.

3. In a lumber-stacker, the combination, with a movable carriage, ofpartially-hollow rods, sliding blocks within the said rods, and springsto keep said blocks normally pressed against the spacing-strips.

41-. In a lumber-stacker, the combination, with a movable carriageprovided on its rear cross-piece with springs, of the hollow rods havingsliding blocks therein, and springs to keep said blocks normally pressedagainst the spacingstrips.

5. In a lumber-stacker, the combination, with the movable carriageprovided on its rear cross-piece with springs, of the hollow rods havingsliding blocks therein, and the springs to keep said blocks normallypressed against the spacingstrips.

G. In a lumber-stacker, the combination, with the extensibleclevatonframe, the shafts provided with sprocket-wheels mounted therein,and the sprocket-chains passing over said wheels, of the movablecarriage provided with sprocket-wheels and chains, and constructed toreceive the lumber from the clevatorframe and deposit it in layers.

7. In a lumber-stacker, the combination, with the traveling frame, ofthe elevator-frame having one end resting on the traveling frame, theshafts, provided with sprocket wheels mounted therein and thesprocket'chains passing over said wheels, said elevator-frame beingcapable of extension longitudinally, so that as the traveling framerises the elevator-frame accommodates itself to the height of the frame.

8. In a lumber-stacker, the combination, with the movable carriageprovided with rods constructed to receive and lay the spacingstrips andto deposit the boards thereon, and means to actuate it, of theextensible. elevatorframe having endless chains to conduct the boards tothe movable carriage.

9. In a lumber-stacker, the combination, with the movable carriageprovided with shafts having sprocket wheels, and the chains passing oversaid wheels, of the guides having one end loosely mounted upon saidshafts and extending under said chains, so as to prevent them fromsagging when heavy lumber is being carried.

10. In a lumber-stacker, the combination, with the movable carriageprovided with rods constructed to receive and lay the spacingstrips, andmeans to actuate the carriage, of

the traveling frame provided at one end with bumpers against which saidcarriage impinges, and its central cross-piece provided with slots toconduct and guide the spacing-strips after they leave the rods.

11. The combination, with a movable car weights and chains attached tosaid latter frame, of the shaft provided with ahand-wheel and amiter-pinion, the latter engaging with a miter-wheel on one of theelevating-shafts, I whereby the machine may he gradually lowered by theturning ofthe hand-wheel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM T. SMITH.

Vitnesses:

ROBINSON WHITE, EDWIN L. BRADFORD.

